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9th reporting round

Countries have identified good practices in implementing the Convention on the Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents within their national implementation reports. The good practices reported from the 9th reporting round (2016–2018) are compiled in the tables below. The Working Group on Implementation and secretariat categorized the good practices into the six themes. Click on each box to expand (or collapse) it into a table. The tables include information and related links when available. Should you have further questions on the good practices provided, please contact the Focal Point of the Party or country. A list of all Focal Points can be found here.

Identification and notification of hazardous activities

Country

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Austria

Maintained International River Commissions

Organized meetings with neighbouring countries

Organized international emergency exercises (i.e. Comprotex and Taranis)

Not provided

Belarus  Completed notification and consultation processes with Lithuania and Latvia on hazardous installations capable of causing transboundary effects, including pipelines   

Germany

Regularly exchanged information and experiences on the prevention of accidents and disaster control through the Franco-German-Swiss Conference of the Upper Rhine

Conducted identification and notification of tailings management facilities (TMFs) in the Danube River Basin and beyond, using the TMF Methodology 

The Franco-German-Swiss Conference of the Upper

Rhine (ENG) (FRE) (German)

Netherlands

Maintains a notification list pertaining to hazardous activities on the BRZOplus website

BRZOplus (Dutch)

Prevention

Country/Party

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Belgium

Introduced a link to the Emploi website concerning the implementation of the Seveso Directive, including with explanations of regulations and publications

Emploi (FRE) (Dutch)

Czechia

Listed 11 methodologies on: (1) object classification; (2) accident prevention for gas storage; (3) risk analysis and assessment; (4) major accident identification analysis; (5) appendices to national legislation; (6) safety management systems; (7) interpretation of safety management; (8) emergency and spatial planning; (9) safety engineering; (10) prevention support; (11) education

Provided information sources

Information sources:

Specialized workplace for prevention of major accidents (Czech)

Bulletin of the Ministry of the Environment: (Czech) (ENG)

European Union

The Seveso-Export-Group (SEG) met annually and provided a forum for discussions, with high-level input from a wide range of sources and stakeholders

SEG (ENG) (FRE)

Germany

The Commission on Process Safety (KAS) supported the federal government on process safety issues, including through guidelines and reports

KAS Reports (ENG) (German)

Hungary

Developed and published guidelines for prevention and preparedness, including on safety management systems, accident investigation, SPIs in practice, Natech and winterization

Guidelines (all in Hungarian): (1) (2)

Italy

The National Coordination Board published guidelines on: (1) reviewing and testing external emergency plans; (2) equipment and installation ageing; (3) assessing safety reports of underground natural gas storage

Guidelines (Italian)

North Macedonia Established a working group for the implementation of a national platform implementing the Sendai Framework   

Norway

Presented a link to guidelines for quantitative risk analysis of facilities handling hazardous substances

Established a national network for natural disasters in 2016 — which has the status of the Norwegian national platform for the implementation of the Sendai Framework — to strengthen cooperation between the different authorities, including on risks of natural hazard-triggered technological accidents (Natech)  

Guidelines (ENG)

Poland

Issued a “Methodology in dealing with matters related to the prevention of major industrial accidents” and the “2016 Emergency Response-Guidebook”

Guidebook (Polish PDF) (Polish PC) (Polish mobile)

Portugal

Presented 10 guidelines and forms on the Portuguese Environmental Agency website: (1) the scope of Seveso III Directive; (2) Seveso notification; (3) siting and modifying establishments; (4) major accident prevention and safety management; (5) safety report preparation; (6) public information; (7) determining hazardous areas; (8) strategic environmental assessment of municipal land use plans; (9) Internal Emergency Plan; (10) Simplified Internal Emergency Plan

Integrated technological accident prevention into national disaster risk reduction policies through the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (PNRRC)  

Portuguese Environmental Agency (Portuguese)

Internal Emergency Plan (Portuguese)

Information needed for developing the External Emergency Plan (Portuguese)

Romania

Elaborated on a methodology for risk assessment and integration of a sectoral risk assessment

Provided a link to the UNECE Safety Guidelines and Good Industry Practices for Oil Terminals

Methodology for risk assessment and integration of a sectoral risk assessment (Romanian)

Safety Guidelines and Good Practices (ENG, RUS

Russian Federation

Mentioned the article: Bazaliy R.V., Nevskaya E.E., Churkin G.Yu., ‘Problems of Substantiation of Buildings and Structures Blast Resistance at Hazardous Production Facilities’ (2018) 4 Occupational safety in industry

Article (RUS)

Slovakia

Held several training activities for state administrators, qualified persons and operators of enterprises, in accordance with legislation

Provided a link to 23 methodological manuals, guides and procedures

Manuals, guides and procedures (Slovak)

Switzerland

Stated a number of handbooks and guidance materials that had been developed or were under development

Major Accidents Publications (ENG) (FRE) (German) (Italian)

Guide for the risk assessment of high-pressure natural gas pipelines (German)

Guide on the coordination between prevention of major accidents and land use planning (FRE) (German) (Italian)

United Kingdom

Provided links to three guidance documents

Major Hazard Leadership Delivery Guide (ENG)

Flood Preparedness Delivery Guide (ENG)

Guidance on Cyber Security for Industrial Automation and Control Systems (ENG)

Emergency preparedness, response and mutual assistance

Country/Party

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Croatia

Provided a link to a database with documents on good practices for off-site contingency planning

Database (Croatian)

Czechia

Provided a link to good practices and methodological instructions for off-site contingency planning

Methodological instructions (Czech)

European Union

Operates the Emergency Response and Coordination Centre (ERCC) to manage any kind of disasters, including industrial accidents

ERCC (ENG) (FRE)

Finland

The Ministry of the Interior provided two guidance documents on internal emergency planning for operators and external emergency planning

Not provided

Germany

The Commission on Process Safety (KAS) elaborated on guidelines, including for contingency planning

At the Länder level, produced guidance documents on contingency planning (e.g. North Rhine-Westphalia guidance on implementing the Seveso III Directive for emergency planning)

KAS Guidelines (German)

Sample concept for contingency planning (German)

Greece

Provided guidelines for contingency planning

Not provided

Hungary

Provided information on the integrated monitoring and public alert and information system called “MoLaRi”

Provided information on guidelines for contingency planning

MoLaRi (Hungarian)

Guidance documents for contingency planning (all in Hungarian): (1) (2) (3) (4)

Lithuania

Provided links to good practices for on-site contingency planning

Reported on training exercises

Guidance documents for contingency planning (all in Lithuanian): (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Luxembourg

Provided guidance documents on contingency planning based on Seveso III Directive

Provided the mobile app GouvAlert for alerting the population by smartphones

GouvAlert (ENG) (FRE) (German)

Netherlands

Provided guidance documents on contingency planning; all contingency plans (except certain parts) are publicly available on the internet

Document database (Dutch)

Norway

Provided a link to the national emergency preparedness plan for chemical substances, biological agents, radioactive substances, nuclear material and explosives (CBRNE)

Provided an evaluation report on the Skagerrak Chemical Oil Spill Pollution Exercise 2017 (SCOPE 2017)

National strategy for CBRNE (Norwegian)

Evaluation report on the SCOPE 2017 (ENG)

Republic of Moldova

Provided links to good practices for off-site contingency planning and joint response plans with Romania

Held trilateral table-top and field exercises between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine at the International Sea Port Guirgiulesti and developed a joint/transboundary contingency plan in the Danube Delta  

Hazard prevention and Crisis Management in the Danube River Delta (ENG)

Accident Emergency Warning System (ENG)

Joint response plans (Romanian)

Romania

Provided links to good practices for off-site contingency planning

External emergency plan (Romanian)

Slovakia

Provided links to a methodology on contingency planning

Methodology (Slovak)

Spain

Provided guidance for planning and controlling major accidents with dangerous substances

Guidance (Spanish)

Sweden

Provided a link to good practices for off-site contingency planning

External Emergency Planning (Swedish)

United Kingdom

Provided links to good practices for on-site contingency planning and on the responsibilities of responder agencies to prepare and plan for emergencies

Internal Emergency Planning Delivery Guide (ENG)

Preparation and planning for emergencies: responsibilities of responder agencies and others (ENG)

Scientific and technological cooperation and exchange of information

Country/Party

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Cezchia

Reported on a Czech-German-Poland working group for the Convention, which meets every two years, and regular meetings and conferences with regional and inspection authorities

Not provided

France

 

Mentioned the OECD Working Group on Chemical Accidents and regular working meetings with regional authorities of neighbouring countries

Not provided

European Union

 

  • Regularly conducted seminars on lessons learnt from industrial accidents
  • IMPEL (European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law) provided workshops, online streaming of workshops and website links
  • Seminar series (ENG)
  • IMPEL (ENG)

Germany

 

  • Referred to good practices and provided links pertaining to information exchange, assistance activities, capacity development activities to improve tailings safety
  • Parts of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety’s Beratungshilfeprogramm (Advisory Assistance Programme) supported the implementation of the UNECE “Water” and “Industrial Accidents” Conventions in EECCA and SEE countries
  • The commissions for the Danube and the Oder basins developed inventories concerning potential accident hazard hotspots in the basin
  • Assistance in improving safety of Tailings Management Facilities in Armenia and Georgia (ENG)
  • Advisory Assistance Programme for countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and other countries neighbouring the European Union (ENG) (RUS) (German)
  • Checklist methodology to increase safety of Tailings Management Facilities in the UNECE region (ENG)
  • Capacity development to improve safety conditions of Tailings Management Facilities in the Danube River Basin (ENG)
  • International Commission for the Protection of the Odra River against Pollution (ENG) (Czech) (German) (Polish)
Italy Set up a European Union Twinning Project with Austria called “Chemicals and hazardous substances monitoring improvement and integration of Seveso database into Croatian Environmental Information System as the unique Central Seveso Information System” Not provided
Kazakhstan The Interstate Council for Industrial Safety (ICIS) was established in 2001 according to the Agreement between Governments of CIS Member States on Cooperation in the Sphere of Industrial Safety at Hazardous Production Sites; meetings are held as needed but at least annually, on a rotating basis in the ICIS members states (i.e. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, as well as Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan) ICIS (RUS)
Latvia Provided examples of cooperation, including the Lithuania Cross Border Cooperation Programme LATLIT (ENG)
Lithuania
  • Reported on a cooperation between the FRD and Lithuanian Army, including joint exercises and training
  • Mentioned that every emergency response plan of municipalities, other institutions or economic entities includes elements of cooperation between emergency services
Not provided
Luxembourg
  • Participated in conferences and meetings at the European level aimed at scientific and technological cooperation and exchange of information
  • Carried out exchanges of information in the context of the preparation of external contingency plans
Not provided
Republic of Moldova Reported the development of a pilot project under the Convention’s Assistance and Cooperation Programme for multilateral activities on hazard and crisis management in the Danube Delta area, including exchanging information, experiences and technologies with neighbouring countries and other Parties UNECE Danube Delta Project (ENG)
Montenegro
  • Carried out activities under the project “Strengthening the initial response capacity to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats and risks (HBRN) and EU-funded regional cooperation between the countries of Southeast Europe, the South Caucasus, Moldova and Ukraine”
  • The National Team for Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiation Accidents attended the second Regional Field Exercise in Albania
  • The Emergency Directorate organized a regional TTX simulation exercise to test standard operational procedures for chemical accidents and practice regional level coordination
Not provided
Norway
  • Shared information about exercises, including the Barents rescue cooperative activities and with Russian Response organizations
  • Cooperated on knowledge and experience sharing on acute pollution through the Arctic Council/EPPR
Not provided
Netherlands Referred to the Programme Sustainable Safety 2030, in which competent authorities, industry and science institutions cooperate to improve safety in the chemical industry Safety Delta Nederland (Dutch)
Poland Referred to cooperation with Czechia and Germany through the International Commission on the Protection of the Oder against Pollution (ICPO) and to initiatives with Lithuania ICPO (ENG) (Czech) (German) (Polish)
Romania
  • Exchanged best practices on inspection and control through: the Project with the Bulgarian Region Veliko Trnovo; “Toward an integrated, joint cross-border detection system and harmonized rapid responses procedures to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies”; and UNECE’s Danube Delta
  • Through the Euroregional Association DKMT, performed information exchanges and established preparedness programmes
  • Through the Interreg-IPA Cross-border Cooperation Romania-Serbia Programme, increased Romanian and Serbian authorities reaction capabilities against disasters
Serbia Mentioned bilateral agreements in the field of protection against natural and other disasters, and cooperation and mutual assistance in case of disasters with 10 countries, which imply the exchange of information, experience and knowledge in the field of emergency management Not provided
Slovakia Reported that relevant components of the Republic regularly participated in crisis management exercises under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, including with Czechia, Poland and Hungary European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (ENG) (FRE)
Slovenia
  • Mentioned cooperation agreements with Austria, Hungary, Croatia and Italy, which include a monthly check of notification data, information exchange and transboundary rescue and relief exercises
  • Reported on agreements signed with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, which encourage cooperation in protection against disasters, knowledge exchange and transfer of expertise and experience
Not provided
Spain Shared information through the National Database for Chemical Risk (Barquim) Barquim publication (Spanish)
Sweden
  • Reported an annual (Seveso) conference for operators and authorities, which included opportunities for information exchange about preparedness and response and sometimes representatives from neighbouring countries
  • Held regularly meetings with Norway and Finland to discuss differences in regulations and to exchange information
Not provided
Information to and participation of the public

Country/Party

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Austria Ensured the public was informed in the framework of the Convention   
Croatia Ensured public participation in preparing external emergency plans    

European Union

Collected and provided information through the Minerva Portal of the Major Accident Hazards Bureau

Minerva (ENG)

Netherlands

Provided the public with information about Seveso-establishments

Risicokaart (Dutch)

Decision making on siting and land-use planning

Country/Party

Description of Good Practice

Links by language

Austria

Drew up guidelines for siting

Not provided

Norway

 

Provided a detailed description of guidance for quantitative risk analysis of facilities handling hazardous substances

Guidelines (ENG) (Norwegian)

Sweden

 

  • Provided a link to its agreement with Finland to promote cooperation on water and fisheries, including to prevent flooding and environmental damage
  • Provided a link to guidance on siting of new developments in the vicinity of existing establishments

Switzerland

 

  • Reported the drafting of a new planning guide on the coordination between the prevention of major accidents and land use planning
  • Reported on guidance on the risks of major accidents on railway lines in implementing land-use planning legislation
  • Guide on the coordination between prevention of major accidents and land use planning (FRE) (German) (Italian)